The Washington critic., 1887-11-28
A GIRLS AMBITION.

because" said Mira, at Isn't gen.
teel.'
MRS. Rhadamar is oil the fashion"
pleaded Silvia, "and yet she gives pub
lie readings"
THAT pronounced Mira, "is quite
different thing"
II don't perceive the distinction"
said Silvia, with a quiet obstlnacy.
WELL" said Mira, impatiently,
"you may as well put the whole thing
out Of your head. Papa will never con.
sent-and as for mamma, she wouldn't
hear word of II from the very begin.
ming"
Silvia Seton was silent. She saw
that any further discussion Of the sub.
ject would be more than useless, and
yet her mind was made up.
"It's all very well for Mira to talk"
she pondered, but there are six Of us
girls at home, and Uncle Bob's dear
old eyesight is falling, and Josie can't
get a place as teacher, and nobody
buys Stella's pictures, and Juliet has
only four music pupils, and should
like to know how we are all to live
And, after all, am no real relation to
Uncle Bob, although / don't know
what on earth would have become of
me II he hadn't adopted me when was
q child. would have been bound
out somewhere, or stewardess on q
steamboat, maybe" and Silvia laughed
merrily at the idea. "But all the
same. she added to herself, II mean to
be an actress p
Old Colonel Seton shook his head
when Silvia ventured 10 hint at such
career for herself.
Observation-Disclosures p he said.
'Put all that sort of thing out Of your
head, child. shall never consent"
Neither shall l." said Mrs. Seton,
apretty, mild.eyed old lady. II would
rather that Silvia sold oranges In the
street."
But Silvia was not one to be easily
diverted from any project on which she
had set her mind. and on pretense Of
visiting an old school-friend, she came
to the metropolis, and boldly dared the
the current Of chance.
"If you should fail" said Miss
Courtenay, the school friend, who was
Of timid temperament.
'But I shan't fall" said Silvia.
w uy buOulu lull
THE people, you know, and all the
footlights--" feebly suggested Miss
Courtenay.
"oh, bother the people and the
footlights |" said impetuous Silvia.
II shall not think of them"
So Silvia made her debut In com.
paratively unimportant part, and
accomplished triumphant success.
Onn otav, lad In ounthnr npo ytntnru
prepared the way for second, and be.
fore the winter was over the beautiful
young actress was drawing crowded
houses in the most prominent dramatic
personations.
Signora Silvia she called herself.
"Uncle Bob wouldn't like 1t, per.
haps, II l assumed the family name,"
said she.
And so the good people at home never
suspected that Silvia was winning both
golden opinions and golden ingots on
the stage, although they began to think
that her visit was unnecessarily pro-
longed.
Somehow never missed Silvia so
much as l do this winter" said old
Colonel Seton. "Barbara don't read
the papers as Silvia used to do
"Silvia was very useful about the
housekeeping, added Mrs. Seton.
"Josie never cared for domestic de.
tails and Juliet has no time to help
me. Stella is always engaged In her
studio, and Mira's spine troubles her
II she attempts to do any work. AS
for Bar bara, she Is only child"
II wish Silvia would come back"
said Barbara dolefully.
But as the season crept on, things
transpired altogether dlsastrously for
the Seton family.
Colonel Sefton's dim eyes failed him
more and more, and he was compelled
to resign the Insignificant revenue office
whose petty income had helped to keep
the wolf from the door.
AIira's health broke down altogether.
Stella's pictures created no demand,
and Juliet music pupils dropped away
one by one.
But CLEAN Of hope seemed to IRA
diate the dull horizon when at last
Squire Burgoyne told Colonel Seton
that he had the patronage of good
school appointment
"Josie couldn't hold It," said he.
"Josie hadn't dignity enough-and
Josie never could manage class Of
thirty rough boys. But Silvia Is the
very girl for 1t And one hundred and
twenty five pounds Think what q
glorious compensation that would be J"
How kind of you, dear Mr.. Bur.
goyne," said Stella. II will write at
once"
Suppose mother and ] go up to
town." said Colonel Seton. ut would
be o good chance to visit my sister
Adeliza, and could perhaps get q
little advice about my eyes from one Of
the dispensaries there. And We can
bring Silvia back with us"
"Yes, yes" said Squire Burgoyne,
rubbing his fat palms togetheri "aud
don't let the grass grow under your
feet, Seton. Such positions don't go
begging every day in the week, l can
tell you" ,
"f should think not" said Colonel
Seton.
So the old couple went up to see Sis.
ter Adeliza, who lived In comfortable
red brick house, and enjoyed herself
as fat old widows. on snug annultles,
will do.
"Silvia Oh. yes, Wen go to Cour.
tepay' s to. morrow" said Mrs. Cotton,
which was Sister Adcllza's name; but
Just to night we'll enjoy ourselves.
You so seldom come to town, you
know. Now where shall We go
Would you like to spend the evening
AT the theatre?"
"Well, ! don't know" said Colonel
Seton, obviously; II never was at a
theatre"
But we might go just this once" "
said Mrs. Seton, whose curiosity on
hislrionic subjects was none the less